File - St Andrews University Madrigal Group

Issue No. 2
Candlemas 2014
THE
MADRIGALIAN
MADRIGALIAN
A note from the Editor
Ladies and Gentlemen, Alumni and Alumnae, Madrilads and Madrilasses, after our hugely successful Martinmas newsletter, I bring you the second edition of The Madrigalian for your enjoyment/nostalgia/bewilderment. I must admit that it seems strange to be editing the group’s newsletter in the quiet of our summer break, where the sound of the grumbling basses and the sopranos’ “fa-­‐la-­‐las” seem a distant memory, trying to conjure up memories of the laughter and chattering and noise of my friends in the group whilst tapping away at my keyboard in the silence of an empty house. Because that’s just it, isn’t it? MadGroup is not just about the beautiful music we make, not about the gowns, not about the name, not even about our history, but about the people that create it, that change it, that shape it day by day and year on year. It’s hard not to sound saccharine and glib (not that that’s ever stopped me before) when I talk about the incredible force that MadGroup has to create friendships – perhaps unlikely friendships even (Peter studies computers for God’s sake, but I still love the guy) – to make memories, to unite everyone with laughter as well as music, and (from many of the comments made at our concerts) to allow the audience to share in our own enjoyment. This is precisely why Summer Tour is of the utmost importance. Let’s not lie, MadGroup is hard work; the long rehearsals, the dreary walk in mid-­‐November to Younger Hall after a full day of lectures, singing about skipping through meadows with petticoats a-­‐
flying when you’re a little bit knackered and can’t get the notes, all have probably made us feel at some point like throwing in the towel and saying that we can’t be bothered. Summer Tour, however, reminds us every time why we joined, why we soldier on, why MadGroup is so important: because at its heart, we love it. We have fun, we squabble, we laugh till we cry, we make ridiculous memories (Cornelia and her coffee break will stay in my memory till I die), we almost murder each other, we eat brownies without our hands, we serenade a pub with drunken five-­‐part harmonies, we sing, we drink, we lose gowns, we drive a van for five hours in the wrong direction, and most importantly, we matter to people. We are all familiar with turning up at a church, exhausted from a long journey, ready to punch a tenor and not wanting to rehearse and perform, only to be greeted by a friendly and expectant church warden telling us that everyone is so excited about our performing etc. That’s when we remember that it’s not all about us. Our audience doesn’t care if we’re annoyed with an alto for nicking our green book, or about who ate the last haribo, or anything of the sort; our audience just wants to hear us, to be part of our song, to enjoy the gift that we so often overlook ourselves. Summer Tour gives us perspective, as well as laughter. May it never cease to be. Lots of love, Edwin Wilton-­‐Morgan Vice-­‐President and Editor. Mr President
It is with great pride that I look back on the Madrigal Group’s achievements in the second semester. For me, the most rewarding aspect of conducting the group was watching them develop into a really tight ensemble, producing memorable performances with consistency and professionalism. This improvement was the result of the dedication and commitment of our members, who brought bounds of creativity and energy to rehearsals each week, which made my job much easier. Along with the musical quality, I was particularly happy to see the choir bond throughout the semester. There is something authentically special about a group of friends working together with a common artistic goal. With this in mind, I am thrilled to be continuing my leadership of the group next year, hopefully building on the standards achieved in the summer tour. Throughout this newsletter you will find articles that review some of our concerts and events, but I feel I should mention a few of my personal highlights. The ‘Choral Landscapes’ concert in April was a very successful evening of Pastoral and Romantic music from some of the greatest British composers. For about an hour St Salvator’s Chapel was transformed into a place of musical exploration of the natural world. Anyone familiar with my taste in music would not have been surprised at the recurrence of music by Vaughan Williams in the programme, including a few of his ‘English Folk Songs’. However, the undoubted highlight of the evening was the choir’s rendition of Michael Tippett’s ‘Negro Spirtuals’ which were sung with great emotion and skill. The group was undaunted by the densely layered nature of the music, which at times called for one person per part. The certainly managed to capture the meaning of the text which describes a journey across the ‘Deep River’ or a metaphorical escape from oppression. It has to be said, a concert like that made me appreciate the talent of the singers I was working with and proved a good spring board into the other activities of the semester. These included performances at two Kate Kennedy events, the Procession and the Gaudie. These events were very well-­‐attended, with students and faculty members alike turning out to enjoy the festivities. They also provided invaluable exposure for the choir as we performed our favourite madrigals for receptive audiences. The group also gave a concert at the Museum of St Andrews, singing a selection of spring themed music, which was also well-­‐
attended and warmly received. However, the highlight of the year (as always) was our Summer Tour, which took the group around the UK in a successful concert series. The theme of the tour was ‘Songs of Our Isles’ which encompassed some of the best choral music to come out of Britain. In each concert the group performed music from the English Madrigal School, Romantic classics from the likes of Elgar and Stanford and folk arrangements from contemporary composers such as James Macmillan. Everywhere we went we were greeted with well-­‐attended concerts and a tremendous sense of hospitality from our hosts. As always, the quality of the banter was first class and was regularly chronicled by Edwin in our popular tour blog. We also had our moment of fame when the group was featured on Siren FM with performances of ‘The Bluebird’ and ‘She Moved Through the Fair’. I’m sure a much more detailed tour report will be included in the newsletter so I don’t want to give too much away! Musically speaking, I was thrilled by the consistent quality of the group’s performances but I must mention two highlights. First of all, the St Andrews concert was a joy to conduct and was possibly the best performance of the year, delivered with focus and passion. This was reflected in the glowing response from the audience in the chapel, putting the group on a tremendous high at the very start of tour. Secondly, I have to mention our concert in Wem, in which the exhausted choir managed to pull off the year’s most emotionally intense rendition of the Tippett Spirituals. These were a few of the times which made the hard work of being director truly worthwhile. On that soppy note, I have to say a few words of thanks to the people who made this year such a great success. My fellow committee members, Edwin, Emma, Craig and Rachel have done a superb job this year and the group was improved greatly by their efforts. A special thanks to our tour manager Emma, who organised two incredible tours which struck a perfect balance between rehearsal, performance and banter time. These tours were enriching and rewarding experiences for everyone and it was all down to her logistic skills and calming influence in pressured situations. Another word of thanks goes to our fantastic Vice-­‐President Edwin, who brought the group together in social events and has played a huge role in the marketing of our concerts, along with editing two newsletters. It has been a pleasure working with this year’s committee and I can’t thank them enough for all their enthusiasm and dedication. To our four members leaving St Andrews, I must say a fond farewell and thank you for your contribution to the group. Jess, Lauren, Rachel and Jon, the four of you will be greatly missed, but know that once a mad lad, always a mad lad. I am beyond excited about what next year will have in store for madgroup. Hopefully we can keep on achieving high musical standards and continue to promote such an old and important ensemble within the university. Until then, President McNaul over and out. Jonathan McNaul, President. The Vice-President
I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE. Anyone who has ever read one of my exuberant/camp
facebook posts this year will be able to attest that I have loved every second of my
time as VP. Although I migrate southwards for a year to sun myself in a sunny
southern French town, having the time of my life and becoming beautifully bronzed
in the process, I don’t think I’ll be able to think of those singers hurrying through
the hoary, sea-bitten streets to a long winter evening’s rehearsal without a twinge of
jealousy. It’s our sad curse, as Madrigalians; to go out of date. The group’s nature of
constant change and reinvigoration that I mentioned earlier, makes MadGroup
great, but for those that have to leave Neverland, it makes goodbyes even harder.
Although mine is just an au revoir, we bid adieux to some dear friends, and hope
they know what they mean to us, that in us they have friends for life, and that they
will never be forgotten. Now that’s enough of the soppy stuff. On with the show.
Edwin Wilton-Morgan, Vice-President, Emotional Wreck.
TOUR MANAGER’S
SURVIVAL GUIDE
TRAVEL
1. Become friends with the Proctor’s secretary so that hiring vehicles is possible
2. Next become friends with the Uni Insurance guy so that they let MadGroup drivers
loose to actually drive the vehicles
3. Make sure you choose vehicles that can fit all members of the group (not forgetting
the conductor) everyone’s baggage, gowns, music, music stand, teddy bears, pillows,
running gear… the list goes on
VENUES
1. Make sure that you actually know where in the UK the churches you have contacted
are before you realise that you will be driving 100’s of miles between venues (not that
that would ever happen)
2. Remember to write down the contact numbers of the churches and hosts BEFORE
you are on the road so that you are not attempting to load an email with such
information when there is zero signal outside of Bamburgh!
BEFORE LEAVING
1. Top up your printer credits and be prepared to get some strange looks in the library
when you try to print programmes required for the whole tour (advised to buy a coffee
whilst waiting)
2. … However do make sure you calculate the number of programmes needed correctly
so that you don’t run out or have way too many
3. Make sure you spell the names of all the people in the group correctly on the
programme (otherwise that would be embarrassing)
4. Confirm what music will be sung on tour before leaving and discovering we definitely
don’t have enough copies and no access to a photocopier for some time
5. Encourage the creation of mix-tapes for each vehicle to avoid tactical hiding or
borrowing of the few cd’s that exist and to prevent you from having to listen to the
same song on repeat for the whole trip
ON TOUR
1. Be prepared for the scheduled leaving time to change at least 4 or 5 times and then
once decided know that you won’t be leaving until at least an hour after that time
2. Make sure the boot of all vehicles are properly shut before driving around corners
3. Ensure every member has a gown, music and concert gear (including two shoes) and
knows where it is in the van
4. Be aware that Bamburgh Cricket Club has a hot water switch BEFORE every member
has had a cold shower
5. Each car should have some form of Sat-Nav device and the CORRECT postcode
should be put in (otherwise this may cause confusion)
6. Know whether we are heading north or south on the motorway before setting off
7. Check, double check, and triple check each venue before leaving so that no one has to
go back for the cash box, concert gear, music, sunglasses… etc. (as this can become
time consuming!)
8. Train the van driver how to fit through seemingly impossible archways and driveways,
or at least provide moral support to do so
9. Schedule coffee stops at service stations selling Costa Coffee and plan the petrol filling
up accordingly so that no vehicles grind to a halt on the A1
10.
Advise members that sun cream is advisable on days off so that no one turns the
same colour as the gown
11.
Make sure you locate the local pub on arrival to the town and be prepared to
advertise the concert heavily whilst having a pint (or six)
AND FINALLY
Get the rest of the group to help you out and remain calm when it doesn’t quite go to plan
as NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW.
Emma Thomson, Tour Manager.
Our lovely secretary x
I have loved my time as Secretary of the finest society St Andrews has to
offer. It mostly involved me writing some minutes, creating posters and, most
importantly, bossing everyone else around on tour – but hey, someone has to.
Aside from a few technical issues, when attempting to log into the MadGroup
account, resulting in copious amounts of last-minute photocopying, my job
went extremely smoothly. All of this would not have been possible without my
wonderful fellow committee members; Jon-Jon, Edwina, Sergeant Thompy and
Craigles, not forgetting the rest of the lovely madrigalians.
The most important responsibility I had last year was possibly updating
our Twitter feed every two seconds during our MadGroup awards ceremony,
running in tandem with the now infamous 6 pint challenge (our 21st century
take on the Bru Challenge). The evening’s proceedings included the Human
Bin award, going to Peter; Best Spongey Love Mountains award, being
presented to Struan and Rear of the Year being proudly owned by Megan. The
6 pint challenge was so hotly contended, that the keg had to be
changed…twice.
The other highlight was taking the minutes at our AGM, hosted in the
sumptuous surroundings of Edwin’s drawing room. Inordinate quantities of
tea and minstrels were consumed, as we voted in our new committee for the
next academic session. After much trepidation, Jonny stepped up to the plate
and was voted in as Director and President for the second year. I can honestly
say I will be very sad not to be joining this great bunch of people in St Andrews
for another year, but I will certainly be their number one groupie and attend
all of their events (including any upcoming 6 pint challenge). I have no doubt
they will continue being absolutely fabulous and pleasing crowds with their
melodic voices wherever
they go – be that the
church or the pub!
Lots of Secretarial love,
Ray-Ray xoxo
We’ll miss
you Rachel
:( <3
MadGroup in Concert
musa
On the 16th May during exam week madrigal group performed at the Museum of the
University of St Andrews as part of the Festival of Museums.
At 5pm that afternoon I finished my last ever gruelling 3 hour exam at university. As I
walked out of lower college hall trying to shake out the cramp in my hand and the worries
about forgetting the date of the battle of Halidon Hill ( July 1333 for those interested) I was
met by a group of my friends armed with buckets, bottles and even bins full of water. This is
part of a tradition at St. Andrews where students are 'soaked' to mark the finishing of exams
forever! Madrigal group were out in full force to soak me- the conductor Jonny was perhaps
the first to drench me. Cornelia my academic daughter wasn't far behind, but the prize goes
to Craig Stevens, treasurer, for launching a full bin of water over me! An unnamed member
of the group (for legal reasons) managed to chuck flour over me, which combined with the
water turned into a glue... I was not impressed. After the netball team and my friends had
completed the job I was thoroughly drenched- I've had drier swims in the sea...
With all worries about my exam cleansed from my spirit I sploshed home to get the
flour out of my ears and dry off and prepare for the Musa concert.
The choir went to start the concert and I changed into my red undergraduate gown for
the last time and rushed to join them. I was very late but slipped in and had the pleasure of
listening to the group singing. The museum was full of avid listeners- madrigal group always
enjoys singing to a full crowd! Jonny had decided for us to sing all the madrigal classics as
well as some lovely Scottish folk songs. The audience and I enjoyed listening to The Silver
Swan and Sweet Suffolk Owl! I managed to walk onto stage to sing the final few songs and it
couldn't have been a better way to end my final day of academic toil at university. Madrigal
group has always provided me with a welcome break from the library. So singing my
favourite madrigals by the North Sea with my favourite people was the perfect way to
unwind after the pressures of finals.
Thank you MUSA for asking us to sing – we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did
and we will hopefully see you next year.
Jess Verrall – MadGroup Granny.
St Leonard’ s Compline, 15/04/14
This April, in the cosy low-lit chapel of St Leonard’s, MadGroup were asked to take
part in one of a week-long series of daily Compline in the lead up to Easter.
It was a little different from MadGroup's usual style, and for some of us it was a first,
learning how to sing Psalms and the conventions of a Compline service. It was a rather
chilled and refreshing challenge, although I admit I was a little embarrassed by my
ineptitude and lack of knowledge. Fortunately I had a fairy godmother (Edwin) whispering
helpful hints in my ear. “Sit, stand, turn left…” It was quite an experience! I could feel the
tradition of hundreds of years and was honoured to be part of the service.
Kudos to our esteemed leader, Jonny, for teaching us all the pieces for the service on
the same afternoon as the service. A feat worthy of a professional, especially as some of us
(aka me) were like “I... think I've sung a Psalm before????”
For the introit and anthem (#knowledge) we sang good old fashioned 16th century Tallis
and Tomkins. Best century ever!!! (although some/most of the group voiced dissent at the
choice of music) Something about a ‘Tom’ in some ‘St Salvator's Choir’ interfering?
#choirpolitics
Nevertheless, on the whole it was a relaxed and atmospheric evening and a welcome
break from the stress of essays.
Jon Minter
And a little selection of concerts
from our Summer Tour:
Linlithgow:
The second concert of our annual tour and our first away from “home” was in the
wonderfully picturesque Linlithgow. Our first of many cake stops left us filled to the brim
with cake and tea, thanks to the wonderful hospitality of Craig’s parents.
As it was one of the last few days in May we began with the ballett “Now Is The
Month of Maying”, always a firm favourite and such fun to sing. Along with the Spirituals
from A Child of Our Time by Michael Tippett, which joined with our favourite madrigals
to form the backbone of our tour repertoire, this concert had a distinct bird theme.
The madrigal Sweet Suffolk Owl by Thomas Vautor features imitative owl noises
which were complimented by the real “tweets” from our very own visitor of the feathered
kind. The Silver Swan, often considered Orlando Gibbon’s most famous madrigal,
provided a dynamic contrast whilst continuing the, now newly dynamic, bird theme.
Our home-grown talent was also showcased by way of an arrangement of ‘She Moved
Through the Fair’, a traditional Irish Folk song, by our very own President. ‘Frozen in
Frobisher Bay’, an age-old favourite, was arranged by one of our past members and once
again proved to be a success. The haunting harmonies soared through the church and sent
shivers down many spines.
We absolutely loved our visit to Linlithgow and couldn’t have asked for a better
welcome from the audience. We’re looking forward to returning next year.
Megan Bruce
Parton:
I’m very excited to be able to write about my favorite spot on tour for the last two
years. Parton Kirk was something that was advertised to me in my first year by the more
senior members as the place I wouldn’t forget. Unlike most other locations, no one in the
group currently hails from Parton. A former member apparently either attended or resided
near the church, well before my time with Mad Group, and that’s how we were invited to
the venue. Since then, Parton has always been a stop on our tour. It’s not hard to guess
why.
Coming into Parton is an experience in itself. After a week of traversing the Lake
District and other areas of England, you’re immediately aware you’re back in Scotland. The
woods are dense and lush and the scarceness of houses makes you feel like you’re the only
one around. The forest is mystical, especially as you roll into town while the sun deigns to
set. The church is hard to miss around this time. The memorial out front is adorned with
lawn Saltires and posters advertising the event. After a long drive, the front walk makes any
Mad Group member feel like a superstar.
The welcome doesn’t end there. Tea and nibbles are provided by the church even
when no one is there and we’re briefly warming our voices up. The place is quiet and
serene. It’s like your grandparent’s house on a Sunday morning; quiet, and with plenty of
things to look at and explore the history of the place. Once the churchgoers come, they
come in bundles. I would never have imagined in my first year we’d fill that church,
accounting for the seeming seclusion of the little kirk in the woods. It’s filled up fast,
though, and when it’s time to be walked into the church hall, we are graciously welcomed by
applause.
For me, the most anticipated part of the whole experience is the introduction by
Parton Kirk’s pastor. He has already been scoring through our tour blog, anxiously waiting
for us to arrive and recording the most memorable stories to tell the people gathered for the
performance. He is kind and funny, always getting us laughing. It once again makes us feel
at home, as if someone is always looking out for us and wanting to know what we’ve been up
to. It makes it even more special knowing that he does this not out of interest for one
person in the group, but an interest in all of us equally. He is a generous and thoughtful
man, and I hope he’s reading right now!
This is the first year of uni I won’t be on tour with Mad Group. Above all locations,
I’ll miss Parton the most.
Struan Erlenborn
MadGroup Tour Blog
Tour Blog Part 1:
We're currently in Lincoln and finally have access to precious wifi! As
per usual, tour is flying by and we are having a fantastic time! We
started off with a very successful concert in our home town, before
heading off on Monday to sunny Linlithgow. Despite a cheeky pitch invasion
by a resident bird (feathered...), the concert went brilliantly and the
audience were super, as usual. A gorgeous pasta bolognese from our
treasurer's family, the Stevens, went down very well indeed, and huge
thanks to them for both putting us up and putting up with us for yet
another year! After a much needed night's sleep from our generous hosts,
we were back on the road again for the long journey to Bamburgh. Our
annual stop didn't fail to live up to its usual high standards, and
everyone was typically friendly and welcoming and, although the inclement
weather didn't allow us to bronze ourselves in front of the beautiful
castle, the slap-up pub dinner certainly was great recompense! Only
discovering the heating/hot-water switch after our rather cool night's
sleep and cold showers in the cricket pavilion, a rather sleepy MadGroup
headed off in the drizzle to lovely Lincoln! A cheeky stop at McDonald's
for some McNuggets (feel free to sponsor us, Macky D's...) and a few hours
later and we arrived in the beautiful cathedral city. This year we are
getting to stay in four gorgeous luxury apartments, courtesy of the
fantastic Andrew! Spoilt MadLadz! Many thanks to Richard for helping to
arrange so much for our Lincoln concert, especially as he arranged for us
to be recorded for BBC Radio Lincolnshire (94.9FM, details to follow!).
Another superb concert from the lads, blasting out our Tippett spirituals
with gusto, followed by a fantastic dinner back at the apartments.
Speaking of, I'm late for it, so I'll sign off now! We'll keep you updated
with the rest of the week.
Lots of madrigalian love,
MadGroup xxx
Tour Blog Part 2:
What an eventful day! We set off this
morning from our luxurious apartments,
with Edwin practically passing a kidney
stone trying to fit the van out through
the tiny arch. We were soon on the A46,
and the Death Cab (Transit Van) needed
fuel. Unfortunately, I was accompanied by
two of the most middle-class individuals
ever to walk the Earth, who refused to
allow me to stop at the first petrol
station, as Cornelia "wasn't quite ready
for her mid-morning coffee" and we would
"have to wait at least seven minutes".
With the promise of many petrol stations of sufficient calibre on the A1
("I mean, it doesn't even have an M&S!") we embarked down the dual
carriageway. Ca-chunk, ca-chunk. Our treasurer, Craig, was admittedly
rather taken aback to receive the call that we had broken down in a lay-by
on the A46 because our need for fuel hadn't quite coincided exactly with
elevenses... Having saved us via the medium of the last jerry can in the
next petrol station, Craig then got the call that he'd left his suit
jacket at the apartments. Poor guy. His one and a half hour journey
took four hours after Struan typed in the wrong postcode. Exhausted, we
crashed on the sofa after a fantastic lunch chez Rosie Hanlon to watch The
Devil Wears Prada. A productive rehearsal preceded a superb concert in the
beautiful St Peter's Church, East Carlton, with one of the best crowds
yet! Again, I must dash, as the wafts of Mrs Hanlon's chilli con carne are
distracting me no end!
Lots of madrigalian love,
Edwin xxx
Tour Blog Part 3:
And thus concludes yet another fantastic MadGroup Summer Tour! As this is
the first moment I've been able to relax for any extended period of time,
you must forgive me for cramming four days into one post!
After our hectic day in East Carlton, on Friday we set off towards the
beautiful Gloucestershire village of Lydbrook, to be welcomed with a huge
lunch of sandwiches and cakes laid on by the extremely generous Juliet
(Jess' mummy!). Another productive rehearsal ensued, albeit somewhat
punctured by bouts of hayfever set on by the church's gorgeous flower
arrangements [note to new committee: expose new potential members to
extensive allergy diagnostic testings before acceptance...], before we
headed back to Juliet and Philip's house for the best coq au vin I've ever
tasted (+ cake + brownies + fruit salad + ice-cream + yoghurts...). A
typically fabulous concert followed in Lydbrook Parish Church with the
best bumbled gown talk from Miss Verrall, then, even more typically,
MadGroup hit the pub. Drinks on the treasurer were the perfect way to
round off the night before heading home to
our respective hosts, although the bottle
of wine greeting me as I went back to my
host family meant it certainly wasn't an
early night...
With the Death Cab, Boring-Bus (25mph in a
60 zone = not banter) and Craigmobile
loaded up, and everybody fed to the brim
with huge breakfasts from our benevolent
hosts, we embarked on our journey to sunny
Shropshire! As this was my stop, you must
forgive me for being somewhat biased, but
I bloody love Shropshire. This was the
much-awaited 'Day Off' with
literally nothing to do all day. For the
majority of the group (namely, the sane
members) this meant as soon as we arrived
at my house, a day of sunbathing,
splashing in the pool, and maybe a lazy game of croquet, still full from
our fantastic lunch. For the perilously insane members of the group
(namely, Jess and Craig), this was the perfect opportunity for yet another
five-mile run and an 'eight-minute abs' workout, before doing lengths in
the pool. Jesus wept.
My boldface typing earlier was actually in part not true; we did have one
thing to do, our AGM. So after another huge/glorious meal, MadGroup
gathered in the drawing room to review our year's progress and to elect
next year's executive committee. After several speeches and emotional
tweets from yours truly, the 2014-15 committee is as follows:
President: Jonny McNaul
Vice-President: Megan Bruce
Secretary: Craig Stevens
Treasurer: Matt Marriott
Tour Manager: Olivia Clark
And, being MadGroup, we naturally hit the pub. Many thanks to the Castle
pub in Wem for accommodating us, for replacing all of the barrels we
finished off and for not throwing us out after six drunken renditions of
'Fair Phyllis'... The annual six-pint challenge reared its frothy head,
with the speed challenge going to Niall Kennedy in about 46 minutes, but
quantity going to Edwin, who decided a great idea would be to down a
celebratory seventh pint in the 59th minute. The MadGroup award ceremony
happened, with everybody receiving an individual award according to their
special talents. After I had inebriatedly convinced half of the population
of Wem to come to our concert and attempted to begin several more
madrigals, it was time for home. The basses (a people not renowned for
their high levels of self-respect) decided that there was no need for
swimwear during their 2am natations, and had I known this, I probably
wouldn't have turned the underwater light on, thereby exposing poor Rachel
to a sight no human should ever have to see. Sadly, the medical bills for
post-traumatic stress aren't quite covered by the MadGroup budget.
Sunday morning = lie-in. The ungovernable wrath of the total eight pints
and a bottle of wine meant I was awake much earlier than I had been in
quite a while, so was able to catch an hour's sunbathing before a
continental breakfast/croissant eating contest. We all then lay out by the
pool, reading and getting invariably splashed by the labrador-esque
Matthew Marriott, who thought 'swimming' equated to 'bombing and wildly
thrashing about'. After a couple of hours of bronzing, I felt a little
browner, and confidently swaggered in to eat the enormous Sunday roast my
parents and indefatigable housekeeper Linda had prepared for us. The
enormous Eton Mess had a rather soporific effect on me, so I crashed in
bed as others also napped/played Ultimate Frisbee. 'Vermilion' is probably
the colour I'd describe my back/front/face/entire existence as I went to
our 5pm rehearsal. I think everyone presumed I was excessively
embarrassed/oxygen deprived for the rest of the day, as I got up to do my
gown talk with a face the colour of the gown I was describing. The
audience were absolutely incredible, with quite a few faces from the pub
the night before! It was lovely to see such a huge crowd turn out, and it
was especially humbling to see a little kiddy come up to our collection
plate to contribute his twenty pence. Home-time again for a supper well
worth the wait, then it was time for MadGroup's Got Talent. The order was
as follows:
Olivia Clark: Simultaneous singing and whistling,
Rachel Morrison: Belly-dancing,
Megan Bruce: 13 grapes in her mouth,
Struan Erlenborn: the ability to pressurise his mouth until he can breathe
steam,
Jonny McNaul: the one-handed clap,
Matt Marriott: an eerily accurate Smeagol impression,
Edwin Wilton-Morgan: persevered to put both legs behind head, despite
searingly torturous sunburn,
Niall Kennedy: downed half a pint of distilled malt vinegar,
Peter Cockcroft (winner): the best magic tricks I've ever seen. We're
pretty sure he's in league with Lucifer.
Being constantly in agony whilst fearing I may shed my skin like a snake,
I didn't actually sleep that well, but I'm told everyone else did. A
glorious cooked breakfast with big door-stop bacon sandwiches sent
MadGroup up North to our last concert in Parton, Dumfries, leaving me to
help with the washing up! I'm told the Parton concert was a huge success
as ever (although something about Cornelia's car being late because they
stopped for a potted plant??) and it's one of our absolute favourite
annual stops along our summer tour, which we've now been visiting eight
years in a row. Many thanks to John for helping to organise so much, and
for taking this fabulous photo below - I wish I'd been there! For more
photos of summer tour, of MadGroup's Got Talent, and of us messing around
in the sunshine, follow us on twitter and do a bit of stalking here:
https://twitter.com/stamadgroup
So this really is goodbye from
me! I'll be creating and
sending out our Candlemas
Newsletter this summer before
handing over the reins to our
new Vice-President, Megan
Bruce, who, I know, will do an
absolutely fantastic job. It
doesn't make sayingadieu any
easier, especially as this is
the last time I'll be able to
sing with our fabulous fourthyears, Rachel, Rónán and Jess,
who have made MadGroup for me.
We love you guys, and can't
wait to see you soon, so come
back and visit us!
I've absolutely loved being
Vice-President this year, and
thanks to all our
followers/readers for enduring
my excessively flamboyant
social media messages.
All of my madrigalian love,
Edwin (VP) xxxxx
And now, to sum up tour in a succinct and elegant fashion, Miss Cornelia
Topping presents:
The White Van Chronicles
-­‐ Actually making a not-­‐so-­‐bad impression at Craig’s house. No DSLs this year. #success -­‐ Not stopping at M&S, or getting coffee, like everrrr. Even if we wanted it so badly. Getting to the next destination was always our number one priority. -­‐ Seeing if the Van’s sound-­‐system could take our level of chat. Realising it could never satisfy our need for intense, Top40 beat$ #TurnDownForWhat -­‐ Co-­‐ordinating the most economical way of enjoying Candy King. -­‐ THAT burger #YouShouldReallyReconsiderYourSupplier -­‐ Re-­‐enacting ‘When Harry met Sally’ with Edwin. -­‐ Hiding in the van outside ‘The Ghetto’ recording 14 video takes of “Welcome to the Ghetto….” Then realising that it was actually some of the most delightful accommodation of the tour. -­‐ Pub night in Wem: Edwin: “This is Asda! He IS Wem!” -­‐ Edwin’s 1st tour of Wem High Street, Edwin’s 2nd tour of Wem High Street, Edwin’s 3rd tour of Wem High Street , Edwin’s 4th tour of Wem High Street. I am now very well acquainted with Wem’s attractions, and the family lineage of Wem Bakery. Thank you Edwin -­‐ Linda’s Bakewells #ifyouknowwhatImean -­‐ Face to plate brownie eating at Rosie’s house, the moment when Rosie’s sister Katherine realised we were #topladz #cray #bantah. -­‐ Pronouncing the death of Rosie’s goldfish at the breakfast table. -­‐ Dumfries Garden Centre, where Doris was born, watered and christened. -­‐ One very misjudged in-­‐van water fight on the last day of tour….but that’s a story for another time. It has been a fantastic tour. To those who are leaving, I’ll miss you all hugely. For those of you staying, the legacy must live on. TMI has no limits #excessivesharing4eva. Disclaimer: this year no pre-­pubescent boys were harmed in the making of this tour #oioi The MadGroup Acrostic Poem
May-­‐ing done, we merry lads and nymphs set off from St Andrews for some playing All creatures then were merry, merry, merry-­‐minded Diana had procured our peace Rolling forth freely were notes from our resident sweet Suffolk owl (Pitch Pipe Craig!) It seemed like our life was a play of pass-­‐i-­‐on Goddesses were never left all alone to find coffee and, incidentally, said goddess will never be in charge of vehicle fuelling And to the bagpipe’s sound, the nymphs trod out their ground Lovely saints above all harkened…mainly in the form of food in Lincoln and Shropshire and indeed everywhere. Thank you everyone Green was Amaryllis’ dress and everybody’s post-­‐field-­‐frolicking clothes Reedy shores were abundant prepped for our silver swans Oriana lived long and looked remarkably fair Up and down the country we wandered Phyllis did not sit alone for too long before she fell a-­‐kissing 2 cars 0 accidents 1 death cab 4 new committee members Disclaimer: no madrigals were butchered in the making of this acrostic. Olivia Clark
And our favourite bit:
PUZZLES
M A D R I G A L M I N M M A S D F N H G S R Y Y L E A N D E R E B T E R F S A F I I T C B L O V E D L V E R S N P U T I P A M M S P I D M O T Q U R A P E T T B S F J S F R I T U A F F G T A A N L L E A I D S H N Y M P H O L T H O A M T F Y S R O S W R I H R R E S E E E E P U W T L P T J A W R I H R W H J S V E W S M T E A F L O E R K Y T M A H A Y L W A I B R A R F C O N T S H T I N O I W I T L O A S V N R F S A P W R P E S P R H G H L M O D A W H E E A N E Y S R L O E L H B L R T L P A A T N I R Y N Madrigal Spirituals Tippett Amyntas Frobisher Bay Draw on sweet night Thomas Weelkes Oriana Fauns Satyrs Nymphs Leander Corina V A U G H I N E S A E R B Y R L J I R E I S I W T A M D D G G H N O W N A M H H H A E B E W M I S T N L A T H A M K I N S O P I H O N W S N U D E H B S S E E E T I P R N R R O P O A D E S A N F O R O B A I A L U H O M P Y R F L V L R L H E M S N O Y B E E L Y I J F A A U T N M P E S D E O L F D R T A N G I T A F J V I I S R A F W A L O A N D O G I T S U F F O R O R L S W E E I A M S A L E L A L M U I I I O R S J O N C O R I Amaryllis Fair Phyllis Gallant Weaver John Bennet Weep weep She moved through the fair Orlando Gibbons Lassie Wad ye loe me As Vesta was Bluebird Macmillan Stanford Byrd Y M R S D U O G F Y E W T A E E S T A W A S B L A R H M E F J U O B O O M E F O L E T C B H E I R D N O O H U O O H E R A U N S L Y A E A A U S D T S E R G N N M T A Y A C A F M I A M A C I M E T H O O P N U M T R E T A R D T S S E E S J S L W O A I E H M N E R N L D L U W I E K I I P N E N L W L S O B L E S B B O N S L K O W L Y O A A E R N As Torrents Silver Swan Sweet Suffolk Owl Linden Lea Ralph Vaughan-­‐Williams Morely Thomas Thomkins Farmer Plus a few names of our old friends! Spot yourself! Madrigal Crossword
Down
1. I heard one telling
3. Draw on
5. Dance
7. Hard by a crystal
10. Mother tongue
11. Triumph
Across
2. In my mistress’ face
3. fa la fa la la la la
4. Month
6. To-wit
8. Swan
9. Feeding her flock
12. Mine eyes
13. As Vesta
14. Saints
“Why I love MadGroup” by Jess Verrall
aged 23 and a quarter.
Madrigal group is THE BEST!!! I joined as a little fresher because Helena Thompson told me to! My academic parents (Frettie) looked after me in rehearsals. First year was amazing – we were led by the fabulous Tristan. I fell in love with madrigals and the group! Tour was really fun (although long) in my first year. However, during that tour Jellie was born! Jellie is Jess+Millie. Led by Jacob, the tour manager, Jellie drove terribly through the British countryside and got up to all kinds of mischief. Here is a selection of photos from first year tour… Shout out to Ryan for being a badger <3 This is us in the pub in Bamburgh – a mad “no group tradition before the night on the handssssssssssssss” pavilion floor HAM! Hettie and Jellie having a giggle JELLIE!!! I re-­‐joined mad group in third year and loved being led by Sam Lipworth. He’s such a hero! We recorded a CD and did some great concerts. Tour in third year was fab and was made even better because I had forced my academic daughter into madrigal group! She took us to Ely Cathedral, which was amazinggggg! Thanks Cornelia <3 I also met EDWIN -­‐ What a hero he is! I have always loved Edwin for how much he embraced Jellie. My third and fourth years in madrigal group have been so much fun. Sam and Jonny have been totally brilliant conductors. All the people in choir are lovely and there has never been a dull rehearsal. For anyone thinking about coming to university – JOIN MADRIGAL GROUP! For all the alumni – COME TO FUTURE TOURS! I will put all the tour dates in my diary as soon as they are released. Oh hey Sam!! I miss everyone in madrigal group already – please all move to London as soon as you have graduated so we can hang out. Thank you also to everyone who has helped us on tour by giving money at concerts or providing beds and food for us – we couldn’t do it without you! Jess V xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The MadGroup Running Club
Founded during the 2013 tour (to the best of our knowledge), the MadGroup
Running Club is open to all those members of the group who enjoy performing on one hour
less sleep than everyone else and those who find that 10 consecutive days of concerts just
aren’t tiring enough. We hope to give you a little update on a couple of our favourite
running routes through the British landscapes!
The Bamburgh Beach Run
****
Thin rays of sun peek through the curtains. The
majority of the group lie with eyes shut, snoozing
through the early hours of the morning having survived
a night on the pavilion floor. The remaining minority,
keen to seize the day, rustle out of their sleeping bags,
clamber and clatter about the floor - waking almost
everyone else in the room - and eventually sidle
through the creaky pavilion door, forgetting to hold it
and allowing it to slam. Maybe that was just me. It’s
time for a yearly favourite in the running club: The
Bamburgh Beach Run! We find running from the
pavilion to the beach and along as far as the eye can
see (hopefully catching some sun along the way!) to be
a wonderful way to appreciate Bamburgh's beautiful
beach and scenic castle views. Some may choose to
return the way they came and end on a shorter note
however the views of her castle continue to amaze
through the dunes and into the countryside and back
round for a finish around the cricket pitch. Normally
lasts us 45 minutes.
The East Carlton Park Run
****
Another favourite new addition to 2014 was the
East Carlton Park Run. From the house through to
the park, the largest ever running group arose to
greet the beautiful British countryside in East
Carlton! Starting in the park, curving through the
countryside and finishing in a loop at the beginning
again. Again, lots of beautiful views however
BEWARE! This route involves a street very aptly
named "The Hill". Please take care when managing
expectations on this run and fill up at the water
fountain before attempting. Stunning views on this
pretty little loop! Special shout out to Megan who
decided that the run wasn't long enough and turned
back 3/4 of the way though.
The Great Oxfordshire Ultramarathon (probably)
**
Our final route was undertaken in the club's
founding year around Witney. Jessica Verrall
and chief navigator Huggon and I set off from
Hailey with the intention of a fun, 45 minute,
7km frolic through the beautiful Oxfordshire
countryside. Having run along mile upon mile of
road, Navigator Huggon made the decision to
find some more interesting scenery. Running up
towards an old mill, we turned into a field in an
attempt to go cross country. A small river round
the edge halted our progress and we had to
perform a U turn dodging back through the
cabbages to find a main road again before half of
the tenor section and a vital Weaver sop 2 were
shot for trespassing... Eventually reaching
Witney, the group was weary from its detour. In
an attempt to return more quickly than we had
arrived there, Huggon suggested a trail through
yet another field promising Hailey was but a mile
or two away. The rest of the group happily
obliged at the thought of breakfast so close! After
running around the field several times, through
a wood and arriving at a dead end swamp we
eventually had to ask some dog walkers where
on earth we were. We were pointed in the right direction out of the field and ended up back
at the promising sign... We plodded back the long way... Probably took us over an hour
and a half and ended up running 20km or something. We have no idea really. Hardcore
members only. Bring a compass and sustenance. Special thanks to the navigation team.
Craig Stevens (aged 21).
Valete :(
The Saddest Part of MadGroup
Jon Minter First, we must bid adieu to potentially the strangest human being I’ve ever encountered. The lasting memories I have from his audition were his rippling his neck ‘like a giraffe’ and having a bass range that went beyond the piano. Despite his complete insanity, Jon has never wavered in his dedication to the group and his willingness always to help us out. He has been a true friend to us, and one of the finest Madrilads of all time (he even has a t-­‐shirt). Fave memories: My favourite memory would have to be at the Hope Park Church service when “The Angel Gabriel” turned up as one of the Hymns. Following a long standing tradition with one of my previous choirs – I deliberately sang “my highly flavoured lady” (instead of “favoured”). Peter, sitting next to me, broke out in a laughter fit, and had to try and suppress it mid-­‐song. However, trying to hold it back simply made it worse and worse and, for the whole of the following sermon, Peter was bent forward shaking with laughter and steaming red in the face. Then certain altos started giving him angry glares and Matt and I started sniggering as well. Then the congregation started staring at us not understanding why we were seemingly sniggering at the sermon. Then Peter started swearing at me under his breath in anger. Who would have thought such a bad joke could cause so much brouhaha! Why you’ve enjoyed MadGroup: Everything!!! The gowns, the tradition, the house parties (too few!!!), the insane face-­‐
pulling, the music, the Edinburgh tour, the human pitch-­‐pipe, and most importantly the people. (Although I do feel there was a severe lack of dressing up in Renaissance costumes and stockings :P) What MadGroup means to me: MadGroup was perfect for me during my postgraduate. It allowed me to continue singing at a high standard without the insane number of rehearsals of Sallies choir or one of the A Cappella groups. What is MadGroup to me? A relaxing evening off singing beautiful music with an extraordinary talented group of people. Thanks for everything!! To any potential freshers out there – JOIN!!!!!!!!! Lauren Henrickson Since I’ve returned to the States from St Andrews a few months ago, I frequently experience intense waves of nostalgia for all things Scotland and especially for the university town by the sea where I made so many amazing friendships. MadGroup was my family at St Andrews, and it’s difficult to distill my favorite memories down to just a few because it feels as though something hilarious, wonderful, or outrageous happened each time I rehearsed or spent time with the loveliest mad lads around. While I wish so much I could have joined the group for the legendary summer tour, I came away with countless memories from our year together that I will always treasure. My favorite memories certainly stem from our Winter Tour in Edinburgh in January: my first Burns Supper at Rachel’s house was an absolute delight, and I fell so in love with the tradition that I will be attempting to host one here in Boston this upcoming January; experiencing hostel life and Edinburgh by night with the mad lads was indeed a highlight of the trip, and though it was the dead of winter, I started my birthday off the right way with a Pimm’s and lemonade; I loved chatting and drinking tea in Emma’s living room as we tore through round upon round of the hat game; I will always remember getting to sing in the gorgeous St John’s Cathedral in Edinburgh with the group, with our rainy wellies squeaking amid our echoing voices. I’ll miss so many things from my time with MadGroup, including post-­‐rehearsal chippie runs with my fellow John Burnet residents, observing Edwin’s ever changing colorful socks, making faces at Olive from across the room in rehearsal, having the pleasure of singing with the fabulous altos and sopranos all year, and most of all— getting to make music with everyone under Jonny’s fearless direction. There is a MadGroup-­‐shaped hole in my life now; in the moments I wish I could be back singing with everyone, I’ll think of songs like Frobisher Bay and get all sappy and immensely grateful for having had the experience I did with the mad lads— even if just for a short year! As an American, it was a truly unique experience to be immersed in the English Madrigal choral music arena, a tradition I was not very familiar with coming in aside from Fair Phyllis and a handful of other popular madrigals. But what the group really taught me was that making music with others will yield the most joy when we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Cheers to my mad lad family and here’s to the next time we get to sing together xxx Rachel Morrison My favourite memories: 1) This will certainly be the most memorable, and perhaps not for the best reasons. Coming home from the pub at 2am and going to Edwin’s pool with the guys. The lights were off and as soon as they were switched on, these boys’ manhood was revealed to all (except I was the only female in attendance). A fairly scarring experience, I must say, but it was a hilarious tale to tell the others the next morning – not that the men appreciated it hugely, I imagine. 2) The MadGroup awards and the Six Pint Challenge at Edwin’s local. Not only were much beer and tweeting involved, it also offered the prime opportunity to wow (or potentially deafen) the regular patrons of The Castle in Wem. They were so impressed that they all attended our concert the following evening – the local hero ASDA rounded up his acquaintances and we saw a great turn out! What I’ll miss: 1) EVERYONE and the ridiculously juvenile banter that invariably ensued at every rehearsal. 2) Jonny’s attempts at mastering the German language and his unbelievably convincing, if not slightly over-­‐the-­‐top Teutonic accent. What MadGroup means to me: MadGroup has been a huge part of my life over the past couple of years. It is a great group to be a involved in – everyone is so like-­‐
minded and we produced some incredible concerts together. I’m sure I have made some of the best friends for life there and I hope I’ll have the chance to continue with some kind of music now that I’ve graduated (although there’s no way it’ll ever be up to the standard of this group)! Jess Verrall And finally, it is devastating to say ‘goodbye’ to our MadGroup granny. At a whopping 23 years of age, Jezza Vezza has provided ancient wisdom as well as vintage banter. The departure of her smile, her laughter and her constant cheeriness heralds the end of Jellie’s reign as the cornerstone of joy to MadGroup’s foundations. God bless Jellie, and all who sail in her. Fave memories: Christmas concerts, long car journeys blasting music, and bringing MadGroup on tour to the Forest of Dean. What I’ll miss: Wearing my gown. What MadGroup means to me: Singing lovely music with my friends <3<3